The invention relates to a message display device and more specifically to a device for posting non-electronic visual messages and electronic messages.
A wide variety of visual message display devices such as bulletin boards, cork boards, erasable marking boards and felt boards have been produced. Such devices are typically designed to communicate by a single visual means. However, it may be difficult to adequately address all of the communication needs of a home, office or school by use of a single visual means. Individuals often have busy and varying schedules and require more information be communicated quickly as their lives become more hectic. Family members, students and co-workers often have different schedules or rotating shifts and are not commonly available to give and/or receive general information at the same time.
There is a need, therefore, for a means of multiple communication which is adaptable to provide sufficient information in order to adequately communicate with individuals at home, school or in the office.
With regard to the foregoing and other objects, the invention provides a message center including a substantially rectangular tray having side walls, a raised peripheral edge adjacent the side walls and at least one raised dividing wall having dividing wall ends, the dividing wall being connected on its ends to the raised peripheral edge defining at least first and second recessed sections. The first recessed section includes a non-electronic visual display component selected from the group consisting of an erasable board, a calendar, a pressure sensitive adhesive surface area, a cork board, a felt pad, a clip board, a note pad, a metal surface and a display area having a removable transparent film. The second recessed section includes an audio record/playback device. At least one of the side walls contains an opening for holding a writing utensil. The message center also includes a back cover attached to the tray defining a cavity on an opposite side of the tray from the recessed sections between the back cover and the tray, the back cover including means for attaching the message center to a surface.
In another aspect, the invention provides a message center for visual and electronic messages. The message center includes a molded rectangular tray having side walls. The tray contains at least three recessed areas between the side walls on a first side thereof and raised dividing walls connected to the side walls defining the three recessed areas. The second side of the tray contains a cover attached to the tray providing a cavity between the cover and the tray, the cover containing means for attaching the tray to a substantially vertical surface. At least two of the recessed areas include interchangeable non-electronic visual display devices selected from the group consisting of erasable board, a calendar, a pressure sensitive adhesive surface area, a cork board, a felt pad, a clip board, a note pad, a metal surface and a removable transparent display area. The third recessed area contains a digital audio record/playback device.
An advantage of the invention is that it provides a relatively inexpensive, expedient and simple means for communicating important information to family members, students, co-workers or others through a variety of communication means. The communication device described herein is adaptable for a variety of non-electronic visual media and includes a record/playback section for audio messages which greatly enhances the visual messages which may be posted on the message center. The communication device described herein also has the advantage of providing a backup or secondary means of communication, therefore improving the likelihood that messages will not be lost if there is an unintentional removal of either the audio or visual message.